Barnsley have announced Austrian Gerhard Struber as the club’s new head coach.

The 42-year-old replaces Daniel Stendel, who left in early October after guiding Barnsley to promotion to the Sky Bet Championship last season.

“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Gerhard Struber as Barnsley Football Club’s new first team head coach,” read a statement on the club’s official website.

“The 42-year-old Austrian arrives at Oakwell with top-level experience, having managed Wolfsberger AC in this season’s UEFA Europa League, with impressive results to show for the matches played thus far.”

Barnsley have ended their six-week search for a replacement for Stendel, with Struber tasked with keeping the South Yorkshire club in the second tier.

Barnsley chief executive officer Dane Murphy said: “Gerhard is a young coaching talent that any side would be pleased to have.

“The club had pursued him in the past as his tactical approach and track record of developing burgeoning talent appeals to the core philosophies at Barnsley Football Club.”

Struber had a spell as assistant head coach at Red Bull Salzburg after working with their youth teams and then as boss at Austrian second-tier club FC Liefering before taking charge of Wolfsberger in the summer.

He leaves Wolfsberger third in the Austrian top flight and bottom of their Europa League group after they qualified for European football for the first time in their history at the end of last season.

Struber faces a tough task as the Reds are bottom of the table, five points from safety after failing to win a game since the opening day.

Barnsley appointed Adam Murray as caretaker boss after Stendel’s departure, but they picked up only three points from five games during his tenure.

Stendel guided Barnsley straight back to the Championship in his only season in charge after they won automatic promotion from League One in May.

The Tykes later announced that Matt Rose has joined the club as first-team coach, with Chris Stern departing.